Mr. Palmer's Platform

Sirs:

In your issue of July 11 you say: "Except for Prohibition, the Democratic platform was even more vague than the Republican."

I assume you know the meaning of the word "vague." It is given in the Standard Dictionary as "ambiguous, hazy, shadowy, not clear to the understanding, obscure."

This amazing criticism can only be explained on the theory that you have not read the platforms, for whatever else may be said of the Democratic platform, the criticism that it is "not clear to the understanding" is a confession of lack of intelligence on the part of the critic, or lack of knowledge of what it contains.

May I suggest that since you have undertaken to compare these party platforms, you might do your readers and the country a great service by publishing both platforms in parallel columns.

The campaign is an important one and the platform declarations are of more vital interest to the electorate than ever before.

Or, if the Republican platform, with its nearly 10,000 words, is too long for your columns, why not print the Democratic platform, which (omitting the preamble) contains only 1,100 words and would not require much of your valuable space? You might headline it "This is what we call vague." You would at least get a good laugh from your readers, although it would be at your expense.

A. MITCHELL PALMER

Stroudsburg, Pa.

With Tennessee's Senator Hull, Alexander Mitchell Palmer, onetime (1919-21) Attorney General of the U. S., drafted in committee most of the Democratic platform adopted by the Chicago convention. TIME, July 11, quoted its most specific planks including a 25% economy pledge, data on the sale of stocks and bonds, no War Debt cancellation and Philippine independence. The platform's "vagueness" is illustrated by the following important planks:

Taxation: "We advocate maintenance of the national credit by a Federal budget annually balanced . . . within revenues raised by a system of taxation levied on the principle of ability to pay." The phrase "ability to pay" is a meaningless political weasel used to avoid taking a definite position on such hot issues as the Sales Tax, a broader income tax or higher surtaxes.

Agriculture: "We advocate . . . effective control of crop surpluses so that our farmers may have the full benefit of the domestic market . . . enactment of every constitutional measure that will aid the farmer to receive for basic farm commodities prices in excess of cost of production." Will Platformer Palmer define "effective control"? Will he specify "every constitutional measure"?

Tariff: "We advocate a competitive tariff for revenue." Tariffs "for revenue only" are old Democratic doctrine. Protective tariffs are old Republican doctrine. "Competitive tariff for revenue" is a phrase new to U. S. politics, left "ambiguous, hazy, shadowy" in the plank. Veterans: "We advocate the fullest measure of justice and generosity for all war veterans who have suffered disability or disease caused by or resulting from actual service in time of war, and for their dependents." Prime veterans' question of the moment was whether or not to cash the Bonus, here unmentioned by the Democrats as it was by the Republicans. Into their platform Republicans belatedly inserted a plank on inland waterways which by an "oversight" was never approved by the national convention. Democrats omitted from their platform specific endorsement of the St. Lawrence seaway as contained in a preliminary draft given the Press. Mr. Palmer last week explained this discrepancy with this illuminating statement: "We were trying to make the platform general."--ED.

Rural Women & Mrs. Sabin Sirs:

TIME has been among my most interesting reading matter for some months now and I have always found you impartial and fair in your estimates: so that I am wondering what we, the rural women of America, have done to deserve the "envious, hate the ground Mrs. Sabin walks on" rating in your article on Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform in the July 18 issue.

Unlike Mrs. Boole, I cannot speak for all America's rural women, but from what I know of them and for myself, I would say that we are like the man who didn't want to go to Heaven because he did not want to play a harp: the most of us have no desire to be angels in Mrs. Sabin's heaven.

Few of us are socially ambitious and we work to live the life we enjoy, rather than to make money. We have intelligence enough to know that every one doesn't hold the same views we do and if we do not "hate" this in our friends, why should we in a perfect stranger who is only known to us by American publicity which we are American enough to understand?

We are not given to soap box oratory and with eggs at 12-c- and butter at 15, we haven't enough to give to campaigns to forward the things in life we believe in. However, as you suggest, we have our vote and I know of no issue beside the one the W. O. N. P. R. is fighting that will so bring out the rural woman vote. If we lose! Our business, the most ancient and honorable in the world and a bigger gamble than the stockmarket, has taught us to be, in today's parlance, "game losers." So we plant our crop over again with a view to the experience gained in our last one and a prayer for normal rain and sunshine.

We are not envious haters. Please give us a new TIME rating. I write in behalf of the rural women of America, of which I am one. ALMEDIA BRETHOLL Pores Knob, N. C.

Soldier Chancellor

Sirs:

In your issue of June 13 article "Germany," p. 16, you speak of a "Cabinet of Monocles," you warm up old War frenzies, you accuse our dignified President of "turning his back to Republicans" and you insinuate that Hindenburg has appointed a Chancellor who conspired in the War to blow up the Welland Canal. Germany has enough difficulties of its own and Journalism can cooperate in fostering international comity by emphasizing good qualities in statesmen and not parading old skeletons. I introduced Papen as my successor in Washington in January 1914. Then I said to the late General Leonard Wood that Papen was not only a dashing soldier but also a diplomat. The alleged conspiracy to blow up the Welland Canal is one of the incidents of war. It is the duty of the soldier to risk everything in the service of his country. It is the misfortune of a soldier that his duty is the destruction of the property and lives of world neighbors. It is the pity of Peace that War stories must be trodded out of the cupboard to disturb the nerves of the world which need the tonic of good faith. Papen was a splendid soldier and is proving himself a good Chancellor, the Chancellor we want. He satisfies us.

COL. H. W. VON HERWARTH

German Military Attache in Washington from 1910 until January 1914. Berlin, Germany

Newsworthy are the facts that Lieut.-Colonel Franz von Papen's appointment drew condemnation from nearly every German party, including his own Catholic Party, which turned against him. Nevertheless TIME said: "In Washington, where von Papen was German Military Attache when the War opened, both [his wife] and he were popular. . . . Evidence against von Papen was supplied chiefly by British operatives, perhaps not above crediting falsehoods against a German in time of war" (TIME, July 4). As Chancellor, Lieut.-Colonel Franz von Papen has never yet dared to face the Reichstag, knowing that his "Cabinet of Monocles" would meet certain defeat.-- ED.

Suicide by Bear

Sirs: I have noted the item entitled "Bad Bear' which appeared on the page headed Animals of your issue of July 18. This morning I ran across a somewhat different version of this story in the weekly publication Labor for July 19, and thought you might be interested. Am enclosing clipping. I wonder which publication reported the real facts--TIME or Labor? LAWRENCE KELDER

New York City

A police report on Keeper Earl's death said he had been dismissed when found drunk and asleep on duty. Cleveland authorities quickly denied this. They have no record of Keeper Earl's dismissal, say (as TIME told) that he was feeding the bear in line of duty when attacked.--ED.

Frock-Coated Floggees

Sirs: In TIME, July 18, photograph of a man in overalls is shown with his hands chained aloft being flogged for theft and sale of ice box upon which he realized the sum of Three ($3) Dollars. Question:--Have any photographs ever been taken of men in frock coats being flogged for scuttling millions from banks, building & loan societies, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera? LEE K. STROBEL Los Angeles, Calif. TIME has never seen any photographs of frock-coated floggees, will most certainly print, as of maximum news value, the first such photograph available.--ED.

To Miss Lee Miller

Sirs:

My attention has been directed to an article in your magazine of April 18, under the heading "Rayograms," reviewing an exhibition of photographs by Mr. Man Ray. This article contains a very offensive and quite untruthful reference to Miss Lee Miller.

In justice to Miss Miller, who is herself a successful professional photographer, and who is now abroad, you should immediately, on the basis of the true facts known to you, offer her an apology in your columns.

THEO H. MILLER

Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

TIME has learned that the article mentioned in the above letter was based on erroneous information as to Miss Lee Miller. TIME regrets the error, hereby extends to Miss Lee Miller, and her family, an apology for the inconvenience caused by the erroneous publication.--ED. Heat Over Beaumont & Banning

Sirs:

In order that you may not have a false impression of San Gorgonio Pass, which is the main "Highway of the Air" entering Southern California, I am taking this opportunity to call your attention to a statement attributed to Lieut-Commander Charles Emery Rosendahl, of the giant Akron.

On p. 43 in TIME of June 27 under Aeronautics he is quoted as having said: "Proceeding overland via Beaumont and Banning, battling every inch against blistering, boisterous blasts from the desert and surrounding mountains. Even at 4,000 ft. the temperature was 94DEG."

It is recalled vividly by most of our citizens that that evening was particularly delightful and our official thermometer at 7 o'clock at the time of the passage of the Akron registered 68DEG.

I can only believe that Lieut.-Commander Rosendahl's statement anent the temperature was meant to refer to the desert section lying east of Banning. . . .

W. F. ROBERGE Secretary

Banning Chamber of Commerce

Banning, Calif.

The temperature at 2,000 ft. above a cool spot on the ground may be "blistering." The phenomenon, not uncommon in Southwestern U. S. at the time of year of the Akron's flight, is known as "inversion" of temperature. Normally temperature drops 3DEG per 1,000 ft. altitude but abnormal gradients occur. For instances, with a ground temperature of 65DEG, temperature at 3,000 ft. normally should be 56DEG but might be 82DEG. The Akron's log shows temperatures of 80DEG over Beaumont at 3,300 ft.; 88DEG over Coachella, Calif, and the Salton Sea at 3,000 ft.; 94DEG to 98DEG at 3,000 ft. between Mariposa and Phoenix, Ariz., long after dark.--ED.

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